From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!
Ninety-two-year-old Dr. Clarence B. Jones is a walking historian.
His words resonate with a generation that remembers what it was like to not have a seat at the table, a generation met with persecution and forced to fight for basic human rights.
The Palmyra High School graduate returned to the Garden State Wednesday to reflect on his life and friendship with civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Jones described him as “the most extraordinary person in the history of this country.”
Dr. Clarence B. Jones , friend, attorney and advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., before speaking to audience at Dennis Flyer Theater on Sept. 13, 2023, at Camden County College. (Amanda Fitzpatrick/WHYY)
Jones spoke with WHYY News prior to taking the stage at Dennis Flyer Theater at Camden County College. He shared his memories as King’s advisor, attorney, and friend to an audience of nearly 100.
“I was 29 years old when I met Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for the first time, and for the next seven-and-a-half years until he was assassinated, I worked with him,” Jones said.